Kochi, 25th February, 2023: Defending champions Kolkata Thunderbolts have started their Season 2 campaign with a series of emphatic wins over their opponents. The franchise has already been pegged to be the favourites this year and are currently placed in the top 4 of the table. The team will be looking to keep the winning momentum going when they take on the Chennai Blitz on Monday at the Regional Sports Centre, Kochi.
Speaking ahead of their match against Chennai Blitz, Kolkata Thunderbolts’ Captain and middle-blocker, Ashwal Rai, who has been instrumental in orchestrating the team’s performance this season, said that he is happy how the players have performed so far in the league and feels that they have the potential to go all the way and lift the trophy for second time consecutively.
“Our next match is against the Chennai Blitz and then we play Ahmedabad Defenders. We are just focusing on the game against Chennai. We are not thinking what’s next after that. We are taking it game by game. So far, our performance has been fantastic and I hope we can carry this winning mentality and winning form going forward in the league. I see a lot of potential in my team. The players have responded to pressure situation quite well and they have not lost their focus. I believe that if we can continue our game like this, we can go all the way and be crowned as the champions once again,” Ashwal said.
Meanwhile, Kolkata Thunderbolts attacker, Rahul, who has been exceptionally well this season, and is setting an example for the young generation spoke about the team composition of youth and experienced players, while also shedding light on team’s performance.
“The team is well-balanced with youth and experienced players. We all support each other whenever things are not going in our favour. For Chennai Blitz, we have a strategy in place and we will try and implement it during the game and hopefully, the match will go in our favour. It is important not to lose focus now as the league is in its crucial phase,” Rahul said.
Mr. Pawan Kumar Patodia, Team Chairman and Principal owner of the Kolkata Thunderbolts also spoke on how the team has performed and playing the final leg of the league in Kerala. He said, “It is always a dream for any of the franchise to play their matches in Kerala as people over here are so fun-loving and are so passionate about volleyball. I have been looking forward to this opportunity and we, as a team will give our best to give the fans what they have come to witness.”
“We have two matches left in the group league. I want my team to play with efficiency, aggression and passion. As it appears from the table, we are most likely a candidate for the semi-finals, but we are not taking anything for granted. We will give best entertainment in both of our matches and put a smile on people of Kerala when they go back home after watching Kolkata Thunderbolts play,” he added.
